Outlook - Auto fill not working

Auto fill does not work when creating new email.   I have selected it to be
included in the options but still does not work.

State your Outlook version. State what you mean by "auto fill," how you
enabled it, and what isn't happening that you think should. State how many
messages you have sent that would have populated your autocompletion cache.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Version is Outlook 2007.  When creating new email typing in receipients name
I have to go into addres book and double click on the receipient before it
will fill name into the (to).   With Outlook Express once a name is started
to be typed it would auto fill the remainder to save looking it up in address
book.  I have sent numerous emails to the same receipients.

Still didn't tell us how you enabled autocompletion. If it is enabled
correctly and if you are certain you have populated your autocompletion
cache robustly, you will need to create a new Outlook profile to get it
working.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

To start with I should have to do anything to enable autocompletion as it is
set to default when installed.  After having looked to check by going through
the following procedure it is enabled - tools; options; email options.  Other
than that I am afraid I do not know what I should be doing.  But creating new
emails still haves to go into address book a new window opens and I have to
double click on contacts name to be able to place it in the "to" address bar.
It does work now and again if I send 2 or more emails to the same person
within a short space of time, but when I turn the computer on the next day
then I have to go back to square one and go through address book.   If I
should be doing anything else (Outlook profile) etc.  will you please let me
know what I should be doing.

Excellent troubleshooting information which clarifies your problem.
Autocompletion is enabled and works. However this is a feature that has been
very poorly implemented by Microsoft. As a result, Outlook frequently loses
the ability to write to the autocompletion cache, which is exactly what you
are now describing. Until Microsoft addresses this problem, your only
recourse is to create a new Outlook profile. It will work fine for a while,
until Outlook craps out again. Hopefully, it won't.
If autocompletion is an important feature to you and you want to be able to
recover from these problems, you'll need to resort to third party software.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hello,

I know this is an old thread, but I am having similar problems, and I think
I have narrowed it down to contacts that are categorized and contacts that
are not, with the later being the ones that won't autofill.  Have you all
been able to find any new information or fixes?  This is a seriously
frustrating problem for me, and I don't know what "third party fixes" you
might be writing about Russ.

Thanks for your help,
Lisa

Autocompletion has nothing whatsoever to do with your Contacts, so your
theory cannot be correct. Clarify what problem you are having.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am simply trying to write emails to people that are in my contact list, and
when I start typing their name or email address in the to: field, the field
doesn't autocomplete.

Autocomplete depends on people to whom you have previously sent e-mail.  It
does not interface with your contacts in any way.

However, if you want autocomplete to work for all your contacts, open your
contacts folder, select all and drag to your inbox.  In the new message that
is opened, place your cursor in the TO: field and then press Control + K to
resolve all of the addresses.

Then close the message without sending or saving.  Your contacts will now be
in your autocomplete cache.  Remember that this cache has an upper limit of
about 1000 entries.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact.
ALWAYS post your Outlook version.
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/KB/555375


After furious head scratching, Lisa asked:

That's the way it works. You don't use autocompletion until you have sent
enough messages to populate your cache. If you want to send to your
Contacts, just click on the To: button to see your recipient list.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I've got a user who is selecting a contact from the contacts list but it does not save the address for future emails from autocomplete. They still have to go into contacts & select the contact. They are using 2003 & I have duplicated the issue on my end with 2007. I tried to select all & move all contacts to the "To" field & then resolve, but still an issue. Can this be done? or is it possibly an exchange setting? Thanks.

I've got a user who is selecting a contact from their contacts list but it does not save the address for future emails from autocomplete. They still have to go into contacts & select the contact. They are using 2003 & I have duplicated the issue on my end with 2007. I tried to select all & move all contacts to the "To" field & then resolve, but still an issue. Can this be done? or is it possibly an exchange setting? Thanks.

I've got a user who is selecting a contact from the contacts list but it does not save the address for future emails from autocomplete. They still have to go into contacts & select the contact. They are using 2003 & I have duplicated the issue on my end with 2007. I tried to select all & move all contacts to the "To" field & then resolve, but still an issue. Can this be done? or is it possibly an exchange setting? Thanks.

Sorry about the 3 posts by the way...but to add to this. I created a fake contact with just an email address. I was able to go into contacts, select create a new message, closed out without sending, then went back in & it was in the auto complete. However, once I added a business# & home# to the contact it will not fill in the autocomplete.

I was able to import my entire contact list into the autofill by creating a new email and putting everyone in my contact list in the "to" line as though I was going to email everyone.  Then X out (close the email) the email.  You will be asked to save?  Say yes and the email will be saved as a draft.  All the addresses are now saved and available for autofill.  You can then delete the draft if you want to.  I hope this works for you.  Phil

Not necessary.  After adding all the contacts to the recipient field, press
Ctrl+K to resolve all the addresses.  Then close the message and do not save.
There is no need to save.
--
Brian Tillman [MVP-Outlook]

You do not really need to do that, you know.  AutoResolve will take any name
you type in the TO field and match it against your Contacts list.  It
does not auto-suggest while you are typing, granted, but if you just type
enough of the name to be unique it will find them in your Contacts list and
populate the TO field automatically while you are typing the subject or
e-mail.

--
-Ben-
Ben M. Schorr, MVP
Roland Schorr & Tower
http://www.rolandschorr.com
http://www.officeforlawyers.com/outlook.htm
Author: The Lawyer's Guide to Microsoft Outlook 2007:
http://tinyurl.com/ol4law-amazon

Thanks For your idea, here now its working good. once again thanks a lot